The cost of 9-1-1 call-taking and police dispatch services will account for almost a third of Colwood’s tax hike in 2025.
Of the proposed 7.9 per cent tax increase for residents next year, the cost of funding the E-Comm 9-1-1 service amounts to 2.2 per cent.
Currently funded by the province and federal governments, from April 1, 2025, 100 per cent of the cost of the E-Comm 9-1-1 service is being passed on to Colwood and nine other South Island municipalities – including Langford, Metchosin and View Royal.
For Colwood, the cost of the service in 2025 is expected to be $495,000.
“Almost a third of Colwood’s municipal tax increase this year will be solely because of this decision by the province to download these costs,” said Coun. Ian Ward speaking to Goldstream News Gazette.
“It's concerning … it has a real world impact on people right now that are struggling with housing costs and rising grocery costs and other things.”
Originally managed by a local RCMP operational communication centre (OCC), the dispatch service was moved to E-Comm 9-1-1 in 2019.
The province and federal governments will continue funding for RCMP OCC dispatch services in most areas across B.C.
All 10 mayors from the affected municipalities have previously asked for “province-wide equity,” appealing for a pause in the plans to offload the cost of the police dispatch service.
But their words fell on deaf ears.
“It's unfair, because a lot of the province doesn't have these costs, and we've been selected to have to pay this,” said Ward. “Colwood taxpayers will bear the brunt of this decision.”
City of Colwood budget deliberations are currently underway and are scheduled to continue on Monday, Dec. 16.
